The Colosseum is the iconic monument of Rome, throughout the year so many tourists from different parts of the world line up to visit it and discover its history. The construction of the amphitheater, wanted by Emperor Vespasian of the Flavian dynasty, ended in 80 AD under the empire of Vespasian’s son (Titus). And since then this monument has experienced glorious moments and darker ones….
A Unesco World Heritage Site with the city’s historic center since 1980, the world’s largest Roman amphitheater fascinates historians, archaeologists, and many other people… but perhaps not everyone knows that:
The tickets were free
You did not have to pay a ticket to enter! Seats were divided by social categories, and tickets were used to indicate which one they belonged to. Women were entitled to the worst positions (and in this case the material on which they sat was also different; wood was chosen for them). The emperor entered from the north side; the senators sat on the marble steps in front of the arena, where their names were engraved. Behind them were the knights and then the people, but the seats furthest to the side were for the women.
The Colosseum as a marble “outlet”
Not everyone knows that the marble that covered parts of the Colosseum was used to construct civil buildings, such as Palazzo Barberini, and St. Peter’s Basilica. This damaged the original construction, but in the 18th century this operation was stopped (and consequently the destruction of the amphitheater was avoided); love for this work returned.
The dark fame of the Colosseum
So many people died in the Colosseum, and in the days of the gladiators it was considered one of the 7 gates of hell. Over the years wizards and witches appreciated the herbs that grew in its ruins, which were believed to be magical.
Among the 7 wonders of the modern world
In 2007 the Colosseum was included in the list of the 7 Wonders of the Modern World along with the Great Wall of China, the Statue of Christ the Redeemer, Machu Picchu, Petra, the Taj Mahal and Chichén Itzá.
Gladiator was filmed in Tunisia and Malta
Ridley Scott’s Gladiator, which was a huge worldwide success (grossing $457 million), was not filmed at the Colosseum. Scenes in the Roman amphitheater were shot in El Jem in Tunisia and others in the reconstructed (and partly computer-recreated) one in Malta.